“It’s not safe outside right now. We need to wait,” she whispered to the girls.
She let her mind wander as she watched the images from the weather and the sports on the news. Boo and Lindy’s eyes closed. The late night show started. Their breathing evened out. Finally. Sound asleep.
A firm knock on the door made her stomach plunge.
“Robbie. Open up. It’s Chad.”
Chad. The breath caught in her throat and tears blinded her. Robin disentangled herself from the girls, skirted the coffee table and threw open the locks. Her emotions tumbled. The sheer relief in his eyes registered just before his strong arms wrapped around her.
“Oh, God. You came.” The choked sob that followed didn’t even sound like her.
“What else would I do?” His large hands framed her face seconds before his lips devoured hers. She tightened her hold, absorbing the strength of his presence, his firm lips moist and satisfying. He smelled good and felt solid and reassuring against her. One kiss wasn’t enough and became several desperate meetings, tongues touching and dancing in frantic need.
Chad pulled back and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. “Are you okay?”
“No. We’re scared to death. The girls have been crying since the commotion started.”
He shifted her tighter against him so he could check the girls who were sleeping slumped against one another. Robin looked through tears over his shoulder and saw a dark, handsome man in the doorway.
She hissed with fear, drawing closer to Chad.
“It’s okay. It’s my brother, Tom. He’s a cop.” Robin slumped in relief. Chad moved her away from the door so Tom could ease the door shut. The gun and badge on his belt and the constant shifting of his eyes in surveillance made her relax against Chad. The cascade of relief made her cry harder.
“You have two choices here, sweetheart. I stay here or we take the girls and go to the farm.
Which?” His warm hands stroked her face. The residual fear in his eyes mirrored the emotion gripping her stomach and made the choice an easy one.
“Farm.” Robin swiped at her tears.
“Then I suggest we get out of here. We can come back tomorrow for anything you need.”
She almost told him he was all she needed, but before she could, Chad released her and went to the girls.
“The sooner we move, the better.” Tom studied the activity out the window.
Robin quickly gathered clothes for everyone and placed them in the same suitcase she’d used to bring their stuff back from Chad’s. A quick flick switched off the air conditioner. She forced herself to take several deep breaths, still reeling from the fact that he’d come. What was she supposed to do with that? It flew in the face of all her experiences. Unsettled, she went back into the living room. Chad lifted both girls into his arms. Barely awake, their small arms slipped around his neck.
“We missed you Mr. Chad.” Lindy snuggled closer.
Tears pricked at Robin’s eyes.
“I missed you, too, Bunny Nose.” He lightly kissed Boo, who had fallen back to sleep snuggled against him.
To cover the emotion that threatened to overwhelm her, Robin picked up each girl’s comforter and hit the power on the television remote. After an okay from Tom, they went to his truck. The four-door Ford F- had plenty of room.
Chad put Boo in the back seat and settled Lindy next to her. He stretched the center seatbelt and fastened both girls in one, then Robin slid in beside them. Chad slammed the door and went to the other side, squeezing in next to Boo.
Tom locked the door of her house, checked her car and then got in the driver’s seat. Tom waved to the cop near the troubled house as they moved past. When they finally hit the state highway, tension seeped from Robin’s body and she leaned against her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes.
“You want help?” Tom turned off the truck. The stillness of the night seeped into the cab. His brother’s voice broke the silence.
Excess adrenaline skittered across Chad’s nerve endings. “Yeah, can you take Lindy from Robin’s side? Let’s put them in my bed.”
Chad fished his keys from his pocket and handed them to Tom. Tom left the truck, unlocked the house door and came back for Lindy.
Robin jerked awake when Tom opened the door, her arms tight around the girl.
“We’re home, Robbie.” Chad reached to smooth his hand over her hair.
She shrugged awake and released their seatbelt. She slipped out of her seat so Tom could pick Lindy up.
Chad opened his door, lifted Boo and got out. He followed Tom into the house. Robin trailed behind him, juggling the girls’ blankets and sleep animals.
Tom turned on lights as they went down the hall to the bedroom. Tom went around the bed and waited for Robin to turn down the covers, then gently laid Lindy toward the middle of bed. Chad placed Boo beside Lindy.
Tom came around the bed and left the room. Robin put the girls’ blankets and animals close at hand and eased to his side. She collapsed on the bed like a puppet with snipped strings.
Chad knelt and helped her slip off her shoes, then coaxed her under the covers. “Chad?”
“Sleep.” Caressing her face, Chad tucked the light blanket around both her and the girls. Robin sighed and snuggled into his pillow, asleep between one sigh and the next. He picked up an extra sleeping bag and pillow and went in search of his brother. Tom was just coming back into the kitchen with Robin’s suitcase.
“Here.” Chad handed him the bag and pillow. Tom raised his eyebrow, but said nothing.
“You think I’m letting you make the drive to your place in town when you haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours? No way. Sofa’s right there. Good night.”
“Thanks for asking so nicely. I’ll stay.” Tom tossed the pillow to the sofa.
Chad smirked and then turned serious.
“I owe you one.”
“Yes you do. Payback will come around. Don’t worry.”
“No doubt. Good night.” Chad moved down the hall and entered the room. Boo and Lindy were turned into each other, wrapped as usual in Lindy’s blanket with Boo’s daisy cow between them. He tucked the covers closer and hit the lights.
In the dark, he shed his clothes and slipped on a pair of athletic shorts. Pulling the covers back, he eased in beside Robin. He didn’t want to wake her. He had no intention of sleeping anywhere but with them all close and he’d be damned before he’d argue about it.
Sucking in a quiet breath, he didn’t dare move when Robin turned his direction. Her leg slid over his and an arm fell over his stomach. Easing his arm under her, he pulled her against him and closed his eyes. Her warmth and proximity finally relaxed his muscles and gradually he slipped into sleep, content for the moment with his world safe in his arms.
Lindy looked at the man sleeping on the sofa. “Boo, we shouldn’t wake him. He’s a stranger.”
Boo frowned. “He’s not a stranger. He’s in Mr. Chad’s pictures.”
“Let’s wake Mr. Chad.”
“No! He’s holding Mommy. I don’t want to wake them.”
The man opened his eyes and then shook his head.
“Oops.” Lindy pulled Boo back by her pajama top. “We’re sorry,”
“It’s okay, honey.” Sitting up, he rubbed a hand over his face and studied the two girls.
Boo stepped forward. “I’m Boo. This is Lindy. Who are you?”
“I’m Chad’s brother, Tom.”
“Is Meg your sister, too?” Lindy twisted a finger through her hair.
“Yeah, she is.” He eyed his watch. “You girls always get up this early?”
Boo grinned. “Not always. But we woke up and saw Mr. Chad holding Mommy. He told us that you didn’t let someone sleep in your bed you didn’t care about.”
Tom nodded and yawned.
“We let them sleep.” Lindy shoved her hair out of her face, wanting to get a good look at Mr. Chad’s brother. “We want some Cocoa Puffs. Mommy gets re
ally mad when we eat out of the box. I can’t reach the bowls.”
“Mommy won’t let us pour the milk by ourselves either.” Boo backed up to let him rise.
“I guess you need some help.” Tom yawned again.
Boo nodded and then slipped her hand into his. Lindy decided he would make a neat uncle and took his hand, too.
In the kitchen, Tom got down two bowls from the cupboard, got the milk from the refrigerator and then helped them sit at the kitchen table.
When her Cocoa Puffs were almost gone, Boo put her spoon down and looked at Tom. “We got scared last night, Mr. Tom.”
Getting down from her chair, she slipped onto Tom’s lap. Lindy got on his other knee. He wrapped his arms around them both.
“Grandma Olivia said we were the princesses of the Applegate kingdom. If that’s true, why can’t we stay here?” Boo looked up at him.
Tom shifted them on his lap. The look in his eyes made Lindy feel really safe. “Your mom isn’t going to do anything that will hurt you. Last night scared her, too. You need to let her work this out.”
“But we want to stay here with Daddy Chad.” Boo put a hand over her mouth.
Tom winked at her. “Then you let Daddy Chad work that out with your mommy.”
Boo looked at Lindy and shrugged.
Lindy slid off Tom’s lap. “If we have to.”
He chuckled and helped them take the bowls to the sink and put the milk and cereal away.
“Let’s go turn on some cartoons.” Tom walked back to the family room and turn on the TV.
Boo and Lindy followed.
They waited for Tom to sit. Lindy snuggled on one side of him, Boo on the other.
They’d just have to wait for the pumpkin magic to do its job.
Robin woke in warmth and comfort. It was several long minutes before she realized she wasn’t on the lumpy sofa in her living room. Last night’s events flashed through her mind. Flinging her hand out to check for the girls, she came up with empty space.
Panic propelled her to try to sit up, but Chad’s arms were locked around her, holding her in place. Her eyes rapidly scanned the room and took note of the closed door.
“I checked. They’re out watching cartoons with Tom. They’re okay.” Chad tangled his legs with hers. His face flushed with need, his eyes settled on hers, silently asking permission.
She gave it by relaxing against him. His hands caressed her back with a slow, soothing touch.
Nervous jitters danced in Robin’s stomach, leaving a tingle in their wake. He’d kissed her last night like a rescuing knight, like the man of her fantasies.
Licking her lips, she rasped out her first thought. “Thank you for coming last night.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
The sound of his voice touched her, his words soothing a deep part of her soul, the little girl part that Mommy left and Daddy ignored. “I’m just glad you came.”
His hand shifted from her back and grasped her chin. His mouth descended on hers, slow and devastatingly thorough, bending her resistance. Sweet agony swept through her, igniting feelings she’d tried to deny. When he pulled away, Robin was panting.
“If you hadn’t been okay, I don’t know what I would have done,” Chad whispered, spreading lightning kisses on the tip of her nose, her eyes and her lips.
Her hands slipped across the smooth skin and rippled muscles of his back. When his weight settled on top of her, she couldn’t tell if the moan of pleasure was hers or his.
Her carefully-kept defenses shattered like fine crystal.
“The girls?”
“I locked the door after I checked on them.” His warm mouth left hers and toured its way down the sensitive skin of her neck and across her collarbone. Heat raced across her skin, mewing noises came out of her mouth. Intent on stripping her of her T-shirt, Chad didn’t seem to notice. Skin connected to skin. Chad moaned.
She sighed. This is what she wanted. She’d spent three days at home alone, missing him with every breath, not sure that she’d turned away from him for the right reasons.
His hands began to massage her breasts in gentle, rousing strokes. His mouth settled over one nipple, gently tugging—the answering pull in her lower abdomen echoing a need so intense it backed up into her lungs, causing a catch in her breathing.
Her hands gripped his shoulders. Holding her breath, she waited for Chad to get more demanding like Lloyd, her only other partner. Instead, he kept gently loving her breasts like they were precious and caressing her skin, across her belly and down her hips. The strokes soothed and tempted, swamping her in sensation.
“You are so beautiful.” His head rose.
Robin studied the expression in his eyes. There was truth there.
“Oh God.” Robin choked out—tears pooled and then slipped down her cheeks. Pulling Chad against her so he wouldn’t see the tears, she held him tight. He must have felt them anyway.
“I don’t know what he did to you, but I’m not him, Robbie. I would never hurt you.”
“I know.” To show her understanding, she slipped out of her sleep pants and panties and threw them on the floor with her T-shirt. Pulling him back against her, she pressed her lips against his and kissed him with everything she’d been holding back for weeks. Rubbing her bare breasts against his warm skin was almost enough to make her come embarrassingly close to losing it. Wiggling closer, she spread her legs.
“Help me.” Chad fumbled with his shorts.
Her hands went to the waist of his nightwear and shoved them down. Robin wrapped her hand around his erection as it sprang free and let herself enjoy the feel of his hot skin over the hardness. Chad swore when his shorts became tangled on his leg, making Robin smile. One final kick and they were off.
“You’re trying to kill me here.” He grinned.
Robin studied the joy and pleasure on his face and let go of that something that nagged at the back of her mind. No doubts right now.
“It would only be fair play.” Robin teased, giving him another good stoke.
“Fair play?”
“Retaliating for kissing me like that.”
Pleasure glazed his eyes. His hand separated hers from his erect member and eased her back against the bed. He reached for the drawer of the bedside table and pulled out a condom. Ripping it open, he unrolled the latex onto himself and settled against her again.
“I’ve wanted to be with you so much.” Chad whispered against her ear.
Gripping his backside with both hands, she helped position him. His entry inside her was hard and smooth, filling every inch of her. She would have screamed at the tightness, the overwhelming pressure, but his mouth settled on hers in another fierce kiss. He pulled out and then pushed fully back in several times while devouring her mouth.
Chad’s rhythm increased, his fullness sending waves of heat down her body and then his mouth tugged again on her breasts. His fierce sucking of her nipple set her over the edge. Wanting it all, she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him deep into her. Her release overwhelmed her and she closed her eyes. Chad’s groan echoed in her ear as he followed her into completion.
They lay entangled for several silent moments. Chad rose and looked at her. She closed her eyes and chewed her lip, not wanting to put words to what she felt.
“Robbie, are you all right?”
She pushed gently and Chad separated himself from her with reluctance and sat up on the side of the bed. Her eyes opened to watch him. The tears were back and they undid him. He reached over and caressed her face. “What’s wrong?”
She swallowed and her eyes widened, but she took several moments before answering him.
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine,” she whispered. “Better than fine.”
“Robbie, truth.”
“No, really. I’m fine.” She pulled the sheet up to her neck, carefully covering herself.
Irritation hit him. “You don’t have to hide from me.”
“I’m not!”
Chad glared at her, not wanting her to deny the truth. Rubbing his hands over his face, he drew a deep breath. The floor was chilly against his feet. He walked into the bathroom to dispose of the condom and clean himself. He took his jeans off the hamper, put them on and walked back to the bedroom. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Robin slid to the opposite side of the bed, picked up her T-shirt and sleep pants from the floor and dressed. He mourned each flash of skin that was covered. She toyed with the drawstring on her pants and wouldn’t look at him.
Chad moved around the bed and took her into his arms. His lips touched hers for a moment in apology. She kissed him back, her lips soft and willing. At least that was something.
“I only wanted to hold you, Robbie.” He forced her eyes to his. His heart sank at the guarded expression there.
“I know, Chad. Me, too.” She leaned against him. He tightened his embrace and enjoyed the feel of her.
A knock on the door startled them both.
Chad reluctantly released her and went to the door.
Tom stood there, eyes blurry with sleep. “Sorry to bother you, but I think you should see this. The girls are scratching themselves and don’t seem to be able to stop.”
“What?” Robin elbowed past both men and went to the family room.
Chad followed, with Tom close behind.
The girls were on the floor watching cartoons. Their faces were flushed, their little fingers scratched their tummies. Robin knelt between them to check their foreheads.
She frowned. “They’re hot.”
Chad knelt and felt their foreheads as well.
“Yeah, too hot.”
“Mommy, I don’t feel good.” Boo rolled over, kicking off her blanket.
“Me neither.”
“Let me look at your tummy, Lindy.”
Robin raised the lavender nightie to expose Lindy’s tummy and showed him the little red spots. Boo’s stomach revealed the same rash.
Echo Falls, Texas Boxed Set Page 13